Capitals Rally to Top Flames in Shootout

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Mikhail Grabovski #84 of the Washington Capitals scores the game winning goal in the shootout against Karri Ramo #31 of the Calgary Flames at the Verizon Center on October 3, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Capitals defeated the Flames 5-4 in the shootout.

Alex Ovechkin had two goals and an assist and added a score in the shootout and the Washington Capitals rallied from an early three-goal deficit to beat the Calgary Flames 5-4 on Thursday night.

Michal Neuvirth, who replaced an ineffective Braden Holtby, made 27 saves and stopped Sven Baertschi and Jiri Hudler in the shootout.

Marcus Johansson assisted on all three second-period goals for Washington, which earned its first win after dropping the opener to the Blackhawks on Tuesday night.

Calgary, which has missed the playoffs the past four seasons, has lost four straight season openers.

Backstrom scored a power-play goal to tie the game 4-4 at 14:10 of the third. Mikhail Grabovski, who had a hat trick in the opener, and Ovechkin assisted.

The Capitals fought back in the second period, scoring three goals _ the second two by Ovechkin and first by Carrick, who got behind the Flames' defense and had a clear path to the net.

David Jones, acquired in an offseason trade with the Colorado Avalanche, gave Calgary a 1-0 lead at 5:18 of the first period.

About three minutes later, Lance Bouma's check left Washington defenseman Jack Hillen injured on the ice while Tom Wilson had a fight with Bouma.

Wilson and Bouma both connected punches before Wilson flipped Bouma to the ice. Both received five-minute majors.

Hillen, who suffered a lower-body injury and did not return, was helped up and off the ice by teammates. Ovechkin escorted Hillen, who leaned on a trainer, across the ice to the bench.

Stempniak made it 2-0 with the teams playing 4-on-4 midway through the period.

Hudler added a power-play goal with a slap shot at 16:22 of the first.

Notes: The Capitals claimed defenseman Alexander Urbom off waivers from the New Jersey Devils and assigned center Michael Latta to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League. Urbom, a native of Sweden, has two goals and nine penalty minutes in 14 career NHL games. He had 64 penalty minutes in 68 games with the AHL's Albany Devils last season. Latta made his NHL debut against the Blackhawks on Tuesday. ... The Olympic torch and outfit worn by Ovechkin during his portion of the torch relay in advance of the Sochi 2014 Olympics was schedule to be displayed on the concourse during the game. ... Three first responders from the Metropolitan Police First District, the area that includes the Capitol, received a rousing ovation when introduced before the national anthem. Earlier in the day, a Capitol Police officer was injured during a car chase from the White House past the Capitol.